Americans Are Becoming More Liberal On Some Issues, More Conservative On Others

With election 2012 in full swing and both parties battling to
represent the American people on a whole range of polarized
issues, we took a look at how the views and priorities of
Americans have shifted over the last 20 years.

We found six trends: three that move towards what is generally
accepted as the political right and three towards the left.

Shifts To The Right

Abortion

In 1992, 15 percent of
Americans thought that abortion should be made illegal in all
circumstances. Today, 20 percent of Americans want to ban
abortions.

Meanwhile, the amount of Americans who think abortion should be
legal in every circumstance has decreased from 34 percent in 1992
to 25 percent now.

The Environment

In 1991, 71 percent of
Americans prioritized protection of the environment over
economic growth. Today, only 41 percent prioritize the
environment, with almost half of Americans willing to sacrifice
the environment if it means economic growth.